Defensive end Leon McQuay III, right, breaks up a pass intended for wide receiver George Katrib in USC's spring game at the Coliseum Saturday. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

LOS ANGELES – The layer of primer has been applied. The Trojans will start painting in August.

USC concluded spring practice Saturday afternoon with a two-hour event at the Coliseum, and achieved Coach Steve Sarkisian’s two main goals: they installed a new offense and defense, and stayed healthy.

To attribute much else to Saturday’s spring game would be folly. Sarkisian held out 23 of his 88 players because of injury or out of precaution. The Trojans relied heavily on walk-on tailbacks and receivers and, not surprisingly, failed to score a touchdown in 13 possessions during the 85-play scrimmage.

``It’s spring practice,’’ Sarkisian said. ``We’ll be a good red-zone offense. Historically, wherever I’ve gone, we’ve been good in the red zone. Obviously this was a bit of a vanilla game plan.’’

Through a complicated scoring system, the defense “won’’ the scrimmage by a score of 16-15. Kicker Andre Heidari made 4 of 5 field-goal attempts to account for the game ’s only offense.

“The defense played well,’’ quarterback Cody Kessler said. “The offense moved the ball at the beginning really well and put ourselves in position to score. We just didn’t finish.’’

In the classic good-news, bad-news scenario, USC attempted (and defended) 38 passes without an interception, and there were no fumbles among the 48 run plays. Kessler completed 5 of 10 attempts for 86 yards, while Max Browne completed 6 of 17 for 76 yards. Walk-on James Toland rushed for 36 yards.

Sarkisian probably felt like the real winner, because the Trojans stayed relatively healthy this spring.

Running backs Ty Isaac and Jahleel Pinner apparently suffered minor ankle injuries Saturday, but Sarkisian said he expects all 23 players who sat out to be ready for the start of fall camp in early August. USC opens its season with an Aug. 30 home game against Fresno State.

``I’m hopeful that the next time we have a scrimmage like this, in the middle of fall camp, that we’re a little more efficient on both sides of the ball,’’ Sarkisian said. ``There will be a lot more guys participating too.’’

The 85-play scrimmage was drab, somewhat by design. At one point, Sarkisian, on a live microphone, chastised the scrimmage officials for not blowing a play dead early enough and allowing too much contact.

Saturday was about putting on a show for an announced crowd of 17,500. The real work came during the 14 previous spring practices, when USC installed a new, fast-paced offense and a 3-4 defense.

The defense made strides during the spring. In early practices, defenders huffed and puffed as they tried to match the offense’s pace. By Saturday’s scrimmage, the defense looked far more stable.

``It takes repetition,’’ nose tackle Antwaun Woods said. ``We’d never practiced against a no-huddle, fast-tempo offense like that before. The more and more we practiced and went up against it, the more it became natural for us.’’

NUMBERS GAME

There was one clear winner Saturday: tradition. After the practice, Sarkisian said freshman offensive lineman Toa Lobendahn, who wore No. 55 this spring, would ``probably not’’ wear the number in the fall.

``I dropped the ball there,’’ Sarkisian said. ``We’ll fix it.’’

USC ``retires’’ the numbers of Heisman Trophy winners, but some numbers have traditions, and No. 55 is tied to linebackers. Greats such as Junior Seau, Willie McGinest and Chris Claiborne wore No. 55 at USC.

Sarkisian raised some eyebrows around USC when he assigned Lobendahn No. 55, the number he wore in high school. McGinest attended Saturday’s scrimmage and raised a murmur from the crowd when, during an in-stadium interview, he was asked about an offensive lineman wearing his former number.

``I don’t know yet,’’ McGinest said before Sarkisian’s announcement. ``Fifty-five is a special number. … We’ve got to have some conversations and meetings about that.’’

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